Chancellor Friedrich Merz is facing criticism from political opponents for holding campaign events without a live audience, according to reports from n-tv.de. The criticism was voiced by Felix Banaszak, who accused Merz of running an election campaign that excludes voters, as reported by the German news outlet.
The reports indicate that Merz has been conducting campaign appearances in East Germany that are either closed to the public or heavily restricted. Coverage from multiple German outlets, including n-tv.de, WELT, taz.de, and Tagesspiegel, suggests that the CDU leader is avoiding direct encounters with ordinary citizens during the regional election campaign.
According to n-tv.de, one campaign stop involved the Chancellor eating a fish sandwich at a coastal location, an event that appeared to be staged for media purposes rather than for voter interaction. The taz.de report specifically notes that Merz is "hiding" during the East German election campaign, while Tagesspiegel reports that the CDU is deliberately keeping the Chancellor away from public view.
The criticism comes at a time when economic concerns are prominent in the campaign. A WELT report highlights the gap between the Chancellor's messaging and the lived reality of citizens, with the headline noting that "no one can live on that" in reference to economic conditions.
Banaszak's accusation that Merz is "campaigning without voters" encapsulates the broader criticism that the Chancellor's strategy prioritizes controlled media moments over genuine public engagement. This approach, critics argue, prevents voters from directly questioning the Chancellor on issues that matter to them.
As the East German elections approach, the question remains whether this strategy of limited public exposure will help or hurt the CDU's chances with voters who expect to see their leaders in person.
